“I haven’t had cancer since I was 11 months old!” our cheery granddaughter recently proclaimed. Clara turned 7 at the end of December. She’s witty, imaginative, spunky, highly entertaining, candid, cute, and sharp. Sometimes, though, her facts are a bit skewed. She’s never had cancer. What she does have…
Columns
First in a series. When it comes to New Year’s, there are two types of people. Either you subscribe to the magic of a new year, or you believe there’s nothing inherently special about Jan. 1. Or maybe you’re more like me. While the optimist in you wants to embrace…
A few years ago, I started listening to comedian Chris Gethard’s podcast, “Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People.” The premise of the show is that people call in, and whoever gets through talks with Gethard about any subject they want for an hour. The only condition is that callers…
I have been waiting my entire life. Waiting for someone to love me. Waiting for the snow to melt. Waiting for my skin to clear so I could leave the house without feeling like an embarrassment of a human being. Years ago, in 2019, I wrote a column about a…
I’ve never been the type of person to set goals. I realize how this could be misconstrued. But the truth is I’m not lazy or unmotivated. In fact, I pride myself on being determined. I’ve always been willing to take on new challenges and write my own…
“Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away, Now it looks as though they’re here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday.” Among the countless hits by the Beatles, “Yesterday,” released in 1965, has stood the test of time as one of the most revered and influential songs in history.
The Christmas spirit eluded me in 1997. Our baby Jeffrey, diagnosed with SMA that summer, had snagged his wings that November. Needing to find something positive, I focused on why I should be thankful. Jeffrey was in heaven, free from the ravages of SMA. I knew that, and…
As I write this column, 2022 is almost complete in the book of memories. I must admit that with two surgeries this year, many memories from the year aren’t my favorites. Truthfully, 2022 is ending on a wonderful high note for me, but that’s a story for another time.
Winter in Singapore isn’t like winter in many other countries. Not much changes in terms of the weather. It might be cooler on days when the Fates are kind, but for the most part, conditions stay hot and humid. We don’t get glittering blankets of snowfall or sheets of ice,…
I could tell it was going to be a bad day. I woke up to an overdraft notice from my bank, which is never a good sign. Then I realized something was wrong with my phone. I’d updated it the day before, but hadn’t used it since then, so the…
